Well-drilling tool



4 sheets-sheet 2 H. W. MCDONALD WELL DRILLING TOOL Filed July l5, 1925 Nov. l 1927.

Nov. 1,1927.

H. W. MCDONALD WELL DRILLING TooL 1,647 24o Nov. 1,1927. y H W'MCDONALD WELL DRILLING TOOL Filed July 15, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [ff @JM/MM Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

" UNITED fsTATEsl y g 1,641,240 PATENT oFFIcE.

HARRY' WL MCDONALD, OF llllllINNEAPOLVISA,- MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR vTOCXLDAR CREEK OIL 8a GAS CO., OF FARIBAULT, MTNNESOTA, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

' WELL-DRTLLING rrooL.

Application Vled'lfuly 15, 1925. Serial No. 43,810.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements'in drilling tools of thecable supported or impact type and more particuf larly relates to means adapted for use in connection with such toolswhereby they may be adapted for the mud-laden fluid method,v

of drilling oil wells, which employs a mudladen fluid delivered under pressure, at the bit or drilling end of the tool. This fluid functions to wash or iiush the cuttings and slush from the bor-ed hole and also to seal the walls thereof to prevent water, gases, and the like, from entering the well; which might otherwise enter the bored hole or well under pressure and cause serious damagel thereto, resulting frequently 1n the 1nterruption of further work of drilling in the well and therefore the loss of the well, and possibly the drill tools positioned therein.

The mud-laden fluid method of drilling oil wells is rapidly increasing in popularity as a result of the substantial yelimination of fire hazards and other dangers commonly prevalent with the use of" ordinary standard tools, such as the rotary type'or the cable type, employing a bailer or bucket for removing the cuttings from the bored hole. Difficulties have beenA encountered, however, in using the mud-laden fluid method of drilling, especially when drilling deep wells or holes, caused usually, by the difficulty ex-k perienced in withdrawing the tools from the hole for repairs or sharpening, as a result of the excessive weight of the supporting means, and the present method employed for delivering the fluid to the tool. It is, Atherefore, desirable that means be provided whereby water under pressure vmay be delivered at the point of the tool regardless of the depth at whichy the tool is operated, and independently of the tool-supporting means an'd also that means be provided whereby the drill cable will be retained in its normal wound condition, thereby maintaining its normal tensile Strength with a resultant increase in the effective operating ylife of the cable.

The novel drill tool featured in this invention includes a rope socket, jar-bar (so called) and drill stem, to the lower end of which the drilling tool or bit is demountably connected. This tool is particularly designed to meet the above requirements, and employs a flexible drill-supporting cable.. having one end secured to the rope socketjoffthe drilling tool and its other end .passedthrough the feeding mechanism mounted upon the usual walking beam of the drilling machine, the surplus cable being wound upon a, drum mounted upon the drilling apparatus and adapted to feed the cable therefrom in the usual manner. A flexible steel water line or hose isr employed to deliver the mud-laden fluid underpressure to the bit or drilling en d of .the tool. This flexible water lline isl independent of the tool-supportingV means and isengaged by the walking beam and is mounted upon a drum` rotatably mounted' upon the drilling machine, and a source of water supply is connected therewith for supplying water under pressure to the steel hose line.

Means are also provided inthe rope socket to retain the drill-supporting cable in its normal twistedcondition, thereby eliminatingV any tendency topartially untwist as a resultv of the weight and rotation of the drill. tool and also as aresult of a portion of its own weight being, `suspended therefrom, which untwisting is a common occurrence, especially when drillingvery deep wells or holes.

rThe particular object of the linvent-ion, therefore, is to provide an improved drilling toolparticularly adapted for use kwith the :mudlladen fluid method of drilling, with a cable-supported orV impact tool, and having the water line supplying fluid to theV tool c with the linesupported independently of the tool-suppnrtingmember. K

Other objects of the invention will appearl from the following description and will be f f more specifically pointed out in the annexed claims.

vIn the drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is 'not confined to the exact features shown as various changes drawings forming rope socket and the upper end of the jarbar;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the jar-bar showing the general construction thereof; Y

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the jar-bar showing the means provided thereon for rotating it when in operation;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailsectional vview of the fope socket showing how the `12--12 of Figure 10 showing how the steel water line is slidably connected to the rope socket; Y

Figure 13 is a view hed jar-bar; e

Figure 14 is a. view illustrating the drill tool at the lower end of the drill stem and also showing the steel water line therein;

Figure 15 is a view showing how the lower end of the steel water line may be projected illustrating a modithrough the drill tool to prevent the discharge opening therein from becoming clogged;

Figure 16 is a detail view of a portion of the steel water line to show how the sections are detachably connected together;

Figure 17 is a diagrammatic view illustrating how the non-flexible steel water line is used in the drilling of a well; and

Figure 18 is a similar view showing the steel water line suspended in the well and thejd'rill tool removed therefrom. a In the selected embodiment of the invenn tion here shown, there is illustrated, for purposesof disclosure, a vertical sectional view'ofa typical oil well showing the novel drilling tool positioned therein and also illustrating the different formations of the earth through which the drilling tool must penetrate before striking the desired oil sand.'`

The means provided for securing the 'drill-supporting cable to the tool, is commonly termed the rope socket, and consists of a cylindrical shell21 having a bore 22 therein adapted to receive a stem 23 provided with an enlarged portion 24 seated in a relatively larger bore 25 in the lower portion of the shell 21. An annular shoulrality of suitable balls or rollers 26, functioning as a thrust bearing to carry the weight of the drill tool. The stem 23 is provided with a bore 27 adapted to receive the lower end of the drill cable 28'. The lower portion of the stem 23 has a relatively larger bore 29 in which the end of the cable 28 is inserted, vafter which the bore 29 is preferably completely filled with molten lead or babbitt as shown, to fiXedly secure t-he cable to the stem 23. The enlarged portion 24 of the stem'23, therefore, functions as a head to support the shell 21 to which the jar-bar and drill'are connected. T he upper end of the stem 23 is preferably threaded to receive a cap 31, which functions to retain the shell 21 in proper position upon the stem 23. The adjacent or abutting faces of the cap 31 and shell 21 are grooved to receive a suitable packing 32 to prevent the mud-laden fluid or grit from entering the bearing between the stem 23 and the shell 21. A grease plug and duct 33 is preferably provided in the shell 2l to provide-means for lubricating the `bearing between the shell 2l and the stem 23.

The lower end of the enlarged bore 25 of the shell 21 is also threaded to receive a plug 34 which is provided with a plurality of apertures 35 adapted to receive the cables 36 connecting the rope socket with the upper end of the jar-bar. Each aperture 35 is provided with an enlarged bore 37 at its upper end, in which the upper end of the connecting cables 36 are inserted and the bores 37 filled with molten lead or babbitt to secure the cables to the plug 34. The rope socket will, therefore, provide a swivel joint between the jar-bar and the drill-supporting cable 28, so that the jar-bar and cable 28 may relatively rotate without interference.

The lower ends of the cables 36 connecting the rope socket with the upper `end of the jar-bar are similarly connected to a 'cylindrical member 38 having its lower end threaded to receive a tubular member V39 having an enlarged portion'or head 41 slidably seated in a bore 42 of the member 43, which is threaded to receive a threaded eX- tension 44 of a complementary base member 45 as shown in Figure 3. The tubular member 39 is slidably mounted in a relativel'y llo smaller bore 46, provided in the upper end of the member 43, and a stuffing box 47, of ordinary construction, is provided to exclude the mud-laden fluid from the bore 42 and 46 of the upper member 43. The members 43 and 45 are provided with spirals 48 which are so arranged as to counteract the twist ing action of the drill cable when the .drill tool is being operated. The spirals also tend to rotate the tool during the drilling operationcaiised by the upward `flow of the mudladen fluid or water thereagainst. In actual operation it has also been found that the drill-stem 49 to the lower end of the jar-` bar is shown in Figures 3 and 4. As here shown a sleeve 51,.ha'ving a. bore 52 therein, is rotatably secured to the lower end of the base member of the jar-bar' by means of a member 53 having an enlarged head 54 seated in the bore 52 of the sleeve 5l. The upper end of the member 53 is mounted in a threaded socket 55 provided in the base member 45.' The shoulder 56 of the head 54 is adapted to cooperate with a similar shoulder in the sleeve 52 to provide a thrust bearing adapted to carry the'weight of the drillstem. Suitable balls or rollers 57 may be provided between these shoulders to mini-l mize friction therebetween. 'A packing 58 is mounted in grooves provided in the lower face of the base member 45 of the jar-bar and the upper face of the sleeve 5l, to prevent the mud-laden fluid and other foreign materia-l from entering the bearing surfaces between. the member 53 and sleeve 5l. A threaded plug 59 is mounted in the lower end of the sleeve 51 and is provided with a tapered thread 6l adapted to receive one end of the drill-stem 49 as shown in Figure .9. In the operation of drilling a hole, the swivel joint connection between the drillstem and the jar-bar will tend to limit the rotation of the drill-stem, and therefore the tool, at each impact stroke of the drillstem. If desiredhowever, the swivel joint between the drill-stem and the jar-bar may be dispensed with and the drill-stem connected directly on to the lower end of the base member 45 of the jar-bar.

Another feature of this invention resides in a novel mounting and arrangement of the metal water-line or pipe withinv the drill tool. Referring particularly lto Figures 3 and 9. it will vbe noted that the cylindrical member 38 and also the tubular member 39 are provided with aligned bores or apertures adapted to receive a pipe section 62 which is slidably mounted therein. This pipe section also extends through the head 41, base member 45 of the jar-bar, through the member 53 of the universal jointk beneathvthe member 45, and through the plug 59 into an enlarged bore 63 provided in the drillstem 49. The upper end-portion of the drill-stem, however, is provided with a relatively smaller bore 64 to provide an annular shoulder 65 adapted to be engaged by a head 66 formed in the lower end of the pipe section 62.

prevent the pipe section from accidentally being withdrawn. from the drill-stem while the tool is in operation. The enlarged socket The head 66 is securely mounted upon the pipe section 62 and functions to` or bore 63 in the drill-stem extends substantially the full length of the stem and has its lower end in alignment with a duct or passage 67 provided inthe drill head or bit 68, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9.

An important feature of this invention resides inthe novel method employed for delivering the water or mud-laden fluid to the tool. while in operation. The method most commonly employed to deliver the water'or fluid to a drill tool of the impact type, such as here shown, is to provide a duct in the drill stem or tool-supporting means having, a connection with a source of supply above the ground level. This method of supplying the fluid to the tool has been found more or less objectionable as a result of the difliculties experienced when withdrawing the tool from the well, owing to the excessive weight of the drill stem, especially when operating in deep wells. Such hollow drill stems usually comprise a plurality of sections suitably secured or coupled together for operation as a unit. The joints or couplings between these sectionsA have been found a source of trouble, as it frequently occurs that the sections become disconnected from one another, after which considerable time may be lost before they can again be coupled together. It is sometimes necessary to remove'the disconnected sections from the well before they can again be connected and operation resumed. In the novel structure here shown, the fluid is delivered to the tool by means of'a flexible water line or hose 69 supported independently of the tool-supporting means. The lower end of' this water line is connected to the upper end of the pipe connection 62 by means of a coupling 7l (see Figure 3). By thus supporting the water line independently of the drill-supporting means, the tool may be support/ed upon and operated by the flexible cable 28, thereby dispensing with heavy hollow piping as tool-supporting and water delivery means which must necessarily be employed when the fluid is delivered, as above described.

In the operation of this novel'drilling tool,

the rope socket, jar-bar and drill-stem, .in-

cluding the drill-head or bit, are connected together as shown in Figure l, after which the tool, as a whole, is sunk or drilled into the ground by impacting therewith, which is a common well-known operation in well drilling machinery. The upper end of the cable 28 is usually mounted upon the upper end of an oscillating beam, which is oper- `ated from the drilling machine to raise or lift the .drill tool and allow it to drop by gravity against the bottom of the hole, thereby causing the cutting end or bit of the tool lto cut away or` loosen the material with which it contacts. During such operation of the tool, a stream of water or a mud-laden fluid is deliver-ed under pressure to the eutting end of the tool through the pipe connection 62, and the water line 69 connected to the upper end of the. pipe section. The

'upper end of the 'flexible water line 69 is also usually connected .with .the oscillating beam and is mounted'upon a drum carried by the drilling machine and having means for supplying water thereto. As a result ofthe swivel joint provided in the rope socket, and also the spirals 48 in the members and of the jar-bar, the tendency of the tool-supporting cable to partially unwind will be eliminated, thereby also preventing the water line from becoming twisted with the tool-supporting cable during the drilling operation. Should the lower end ofthe tool accidentally become stuck or lodged in the bottom of the hole or well the head 4l of the stem 39 may be relatively lowered into the lower portion of the enlarged bore 42, after which a sudden upward pull may be exerted thereon by means of the tool supporting cable, thereby causing the head 4l to be thrust against the annular shoulder 7 2 and the member 43 with a resultant loosening of the drill-stem and tool so that the tool as a whole may be withdrawn from the well. lVhen operating under norinalrconditions the head 4l will always be in the position shownin Figure 3 wherein the lower portion of the jar-bar and the drill-stem and supporting means will be carried entirely upon the shoulder 72 of the head 4l. The connection of the water line 62 with the drill-stem is also such as to permit it to relatively move therein as may be seen by reference to Figure 9. Thus, the drill-.stem and its supporting 'means may be rotated without affecting the operation of tl e water line mounted therein.

The lower end of the plug 34 of the rope socket is preferably provided with a notch 73 in which the water line 69 may be seated as particularly shown in Figure 8, thereby eliminating the danger of the water line being unnecessarily bent 4during the drilling operation of the tool.

By the use of this novel drilling tool in connection with the mud-laden method of drilling, the well or hole may be bored the necessary or desired depth without the necessity of inserting linings or casings therein until after the well has been completed. During the drilling operation the mud-laden fluid or water, delivered under pressure at the cutting end of the tool, will wash or flush the cuttings from the hole as the water will rise in the hole until it reaches the top thereof where it. may be directed into a suitable receiving means (not shown). Such upward flow of the mud-laden fluid in the bored hole will thoroughly seal the Walls thereof against inward pressuresv caused 'by encounteringrgas pockets or oil andV waterV from entering th-e well during the process of drilling.

After the well or hole has been drilled the desired depth the drill tool may'readily and conveniently be removed therefrom by the usual drilling apparatus (notV shown), after which a casing or lining 74 is inserted therein while the well is still filled with the mudladen fluid. The unid-laden fluid may then be pumped from thev well until it :has been entirely removed therefrom as shown, on the right hand side of Figure'l, or, .until the water pressure withiny the bored hole is overcome by the oil orgas pressure, after which the oil or gas will tlow upwardly through the easing to the top ofthe well. The above condition, 'of course, is true only when encountering oil sands having a high pressure or in the case of gas pockets.

The novel rope-socket, jar-bar and drill stem, and also the independentmeans for supplying water to the tool as a whole, 1s,

therefore, particularly adapted for use with the mud-laden fluid method of drilling. By slidably mounting the water line in the drill-stem, as above described, the mud-laden fluid or water may be delivered under pressure at the point of the'tool without any difficulty. joint provided in the rope socket and the spirals 48 provided in the jar-bar, the toolsupporting cable will be prevented from partially unwinding and the tool will also be automatically rotated at each impact stroke.

Figuresl l0 to 16, inclusive, illustrate a similar tool employing a non-flexible water line which extends from the drill-stem to the usual derrick mounted over the bored hole or well as shown in Figures 17 and 18.

ln the construction here shown the rope socket comprises an vupper portion 75 and a lower port-ion 76 secured together by means of a threaded connection 77. The drill-sup porting cable 28 is rigidly secured to the upper portion 75 of the rope socket and the cables 36 are suitably secured to the lower portion 76 thereof, and depend therefrom and have their lower ends secured to the tubular member' 38 in a manner similar to that shown and described with reference to the previous gures. The jar-bar is similar Also as a result of the swivel Joint between the base member 45 thereof,

cutting end of the drill tool.

. stem is raised to the position `Shown in the f opening at the bottom of the tool will be above figure. When the drill ,stein is dropped by gravity against tliebottorn of the well, the-lower endof the pipe section 82 will enter the rdrillvstem as it is normally suspended in the position shown during the operation of the drilling tool. By thus alP lowing the pipe 82 to project beyond the cut" ting tace 83 ot' the tool -each time the drill stem is moved upwardly the water discharge maintained open and therefore cannot beF come clogged to prevent the delivery of water therethrough. .Y

' Figures 17 and 18 illustrate the operation of drilling a well employing a non-flexible water line to deliver lwater under pressure to the cutting end of the tool. This nonflexible water line is also supported independently of the tool-supporting means. In the form here shown the water line or pipe 82 which is constructed of a plurality of sections as indicated in Figure 16 will extend from a point adjacent the bottom of the bored hole to a point above the ground level as shown in Figure 17. A suitable connection 84 is secured to the upper end of the pipe 82 and has'a cable 85 connected thereto, which upwardly passes therefrom over a sheave from which it passes downwardly to a suitable winding drum or other supporting means provided on the drilling machine 87, partially shown in the figure. The connection 84 is also provided with an intake 88 having a hose connection 89 connected thereto, which has its opposite end connected to a suitable source of water supply adapted to supply water thereto under pressure. vWhen it is desired to remove the drill tool from the well the tool will be raised out of the well as shown in Figure 18, after which a suitable clamp 91 is secured to the upper end of the pipe 82 to prevent the portion of the pipe extending into the well from dropping therein when t-he pipe sections are disconnected above the clamp as shown. When two of the pipe sections 82 have thus been disconnected the tool may readily be removed from the pipe sections 82 suspended from the connection 84 as shown.

Thus it will be seen that the water delivery vconduit is separately mounted, suspended and manipulated; that said conduit is adjustable longitudinally of the tool, passes reciprocatory through the tooljand that its delivery end ismeintained at a level abovetliatrot the bot,F tom of the well, (see Figures 14-15), a dis.- tance less than the length of the reciproca tory drilling movement, so that itv projects below the drill when the drill is at its upper limit, thus acting to clean the drill bore.

Having thus describedmy invention what vI claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters ,Patent f v y l. A device of the classdescribed including a jar-bar, drill stem and drill head sep` arately flexibly supported, and an independently supported inud-ladenffluid delivery conduit, connecting with and extending through said Vjarfloar, drill stern and drill head. f

2. A rdevice of the class described including a jar-bar, drill. stein and drill head separately lexibly supported, `and anindependently supported mud-ladeniuid kdelivery conduit, connectingrwith and ls lidably ,extend` lnghrough said jar-bar, drill stem and drill I' l3. lAdevice of the class described includ' ing a jabber, drill stem and drill head separatelyv iexibly supported, and anfindependently supported mud-laden-luid delivery conduit connecting with .and extending through said jar-bar, drill stem and drill head, upon which conduit the drill hea-d reciprocates during the drilling operation whereby the bore of the tool is cleaned and mud-laden-luid delivery connection is maintained below the drill head.

4. In a device of the class described, in-

cluding a jar-bar, drill stem and drill head separately. flexibly supported, -and an inde pendently supported non-flexible water supply pipe slidable through said jar-bar, drill stem and drill head, with the lower end of the pipe adapted to project beyond the cutting face of the drill head as the same is moved upwardly, and further adapted to clean the bore of said head and maintain delivery connection therebelow'. 5. A well drilling tool comprising a jarbar, adrill stem, and a drill head, a conduit slidable through said jar-bar, stem, and head, and means exteriorly of the bar adapted to rotate the same about said conduit when moved downwardly in a boredv hole, as a result of the iow of Huid against said means.

6. A well drilling tool comprising a jarbar, a drill stern, and a drill head, a duct in said jar-bar, drill stem and head for delivering fluid to the cutting point ot' the head, and spirals on said jarbar adapted to co-'actwith upward iowing iiuid in the bored hole, to relatively rotate said jar-bar, drill stem and head.

7 A well-drilling tool including a jarbar, a drill-stem-and a drill head, a pipe connection slidably mounted in said ljar-bar and said drill-stem, and head, and having a connection with a supply source to deliver a mud-laden fluid under `pressure at the boring end of said head, for the purpose specified.

8. A well-drilling tool including a jarbar, a drill-stem and drill head, a pipe connection slidably mounted in said jar-bar and said drill-stem, and head, andhaving a connection with a source of fluid supply to deliver a mud-laden Huid under pressure at the Vboring end of said head'for the purpose specified, and'means on said pipe connection to limit the longitudinal movement thereof.

9. A well-drilling tool comprising a rope socket, a jar-bar and flexible means connecting said rope socket and jar-bar to permit relative translative and rotary movement between said socket and bar.`

10. A well-drilling'tool comprising a rope socket and a jar-bar and three fiexible elements connected with said rope socket and jar-bar arranged in triangular formation.

l1. A well-drilling tool including a rope socket and jar-bar, an inflexible water delivery pipe traversing said rope socket and jar-bar and flexible means connecting said 12. A well-drilling tool including a rope socket and a jar-bar, a supporting cable connected to said socket and adapted for rotary movement therein, and flexible means connecting said socket with the jar-bar, said means comprising a plurality of flexible cables having means for connection with said socket and said jar-bar.

13. A well-drilling tool comprising a rope socket, a jar-bar and a drill-stem adapted to have a drill head connected thereto, a supporting cable connected to the rope socket, a duct in said jar-bar and said drill-stein having means for connection with a supply line to deliver fiuid under pressure at the cutting end of the head to discharge the loosened material from the bored hole and seal the walls thereof, and means in said rope socket and said drillstem to prevent partial unwinding of said supporting cable.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of July, 1925.

HARRY WV. MCDONALD. 

